They have responsibility for raising school standards through their three key roles:

1. Setting strategic direction
2. Ensuring accountability
3. Monitoring and evaluating school performance.

There are 4 main categories of School Governors :

1. Parent Governors: parents (ideally of children at the school)
2. Staff Governors: members of the school staff
3. Local Authority Governors: nominated by the Local Authority (Wokingham Borough Council) 
4. Community Governors: members of the local community (appointed by the governing body)

Responsibilities

The Headteacher is responsible for day-to-day management of the school. The Governing Body is responsible for managing a delegated school budget to cover salaries, running costs, maintenance and equipment. They can decide how many and what types of staff to employ, which equipment to upgrade or replace and what the priorities are for implementing new strategies and initiatives.

Governors must appoint the Headteacher, and may be involved in the appointment of other staff.

Governors also have a role in monitoring the school's progress and in setting annual targets for the school's performance and for the Headteacher (and ensuring that the Headteacher sets targets for other staff).

Committees

The Governing Body uses a committee structure to undertake their monitoring and evaluation roles. Membership and terms of reference of committees must be determined annually. Radstock has Finance, Personnel, Curriculum, Sites & Buildings and Community Committees, plus a Special Educational Needs (SEN) working group, which meet at least once every school term.

Training

Governors and clerks are offered training and support either by the local authority, by central government or by other organisations.